A Case of the Mondays

October 30, 2017

CASE OF THE MONDAYS? MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU

Mondays may be the best day to check in with yourself about what is causing the most stress in your life.

A lot of us are most in touch with our negativity (read: feelings of anxiety, dread, obligation, rage, you get the idea) at the beginning of the week. It makes sense. On Monday, the entire week yawns in front of us. And if you’re a busy physician, the week probably includes several-dozen patients scheduled or expected to show up, of varying complexity and temperament, all needing something from YOU. Plus this week you’ve got Halloween cupcakes to make for your kid’s Halloween party. (If you’ve somehow gotten yourself into a homemade cupcake commitment, JUST SAY NO to Pinterest Pressure! And in the future, JUST SAY NO to homemade cupcake commitments altogether. That’s what Wegmans is for, people!!!)

So since it’s Monday, I encourage you to take an inventory. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and GO:

🤔 What is weighing on your mind most heavily?🙄 What are you burying/avoiding/trying your darndest NOT to think about?🚫 What do you desperately wish you could change or delete from your life?

Do not spend more than 5 minutes on this. Bulleted lists are encouraged. The first few things that come to mind are probably the most relevant anyway.

Now ask yourself: What is ONE THING I can do to limit, reduce or eliminate each stressor? One idea per stressor — one doable, reasonable, small thing you can do to make your life easier. Be creative. Do not let people-pleasing or perfectionism be what holds you back from taking action. If you need help with this, call me please!

Now GO DO THOSE THINGS. As soon as humanly possible. And watch as your stress goes from a 10 to a 9, or an 8, or a 7. Anything is better than a 10, right?

I’m serious about calling me or e-mailing me if you need help troubleshooting barriers like people-pleasing and perfectionism. These are real and exhausting and will get in the way of any attempt to reduce stress.